


Flat Packs and Meatballs

by RebaK1tten



Category: Criminal Minds
Genre: Family, Imagine your OTP, M/M, Slice of Life
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-01-01
Updated: 2013-01-01
Packaged: 2017-11-23 05:23:13
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,079
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/618564
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RebaK1tten/pseuds/RebaK1tten
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>From Imagine your OTP site - Dave and Aaron go to Ikea.<br/>Last 2012 story (at least in my time zone).</p>
            </blockquote>





	Flat Packs and Meatballs

“So tell me again why we’re doing this?” Dave asks, looking over at Aaron.

Aaron keeps his eyes on the road and answers, “Jack needs some more storage in his room and he now hates the color of his bedspread.  So we’re going to pick them up today.”

Dave sighs and looks out the window.  “I have a guy who can come in and take care of all that decorator stuff.  We don’t have to do anything but tell him what we want.”

“Dave, he’s eight.  He doesn’t need a decorator.” Aaron is as patient as possible.  “We can redo his entire room for a hundred bucks.  And then when he changes his mind next year, we can do it again.  That’s the beauty of Ikea.”

“40 minutes each way, plus shopping and then getting the stuff in his room.  Seems easier to call my guy,” Dave says with a shrug.  “And why are we doing this on one of our rare days off?  And without Jack?”

“It’s easier to do it without Jack because, again, he’s eight.  He wants everything, he can’t make up his mind and he’ll be distracted by meatballs.  And we’re here, so come on, we can do this pretty quickly.” 

“Meatballs?” Dave asks as they approach the store.  “This place has furniture and meatballs?  Where the hell am I?”

“They have a café and you’d be both alarmed and impressed by how many meatballs Jack can eat.”  Aaron smirks and points at a sign as they enter the store.  “Weapon free zone, Dave.  Great, isn’t it?”

“Okay, reason number two why I hate this place.”

“What was number one?”

“I’m saving it, but I’m sure I’ll come up with at least a couple more.  Where are we going?”  Dave follows Aaron through the store, thinking Aaron somehow still manages to look like he’s in charge of everything as he winds his way through the shoppers.

“Here, Dave, you’ll like this – a two bedroom home in 580 square feet.”  Aaron pulls him through the display home pointing out all the storage.  “What do you think?  For our retirement?”

“I think our kitchen may be bigger than this.  But I like the storage unit in the bedroom, is that what you want for Jack’s room?  Let’s get it and get out.”  Dave moves out of the way of a small child who runs past with a stuffed monkey.  “How do we buy stuff here?”

“I want to look at the storage options and then we also need to go look at the bedding.  Then we’re done here and it shouldn’t be too much to put together, what I’m thinking of isn’t too large.”  He takes Dave’s elbow and gently directs him through the crowds. 

Dave stops suddenly and people grumble as they walk around him.  “Put together?  Who puts it together?”

“We will,” Aaron replies with a smile.  “They give you all the materials and tools and we do it.  You’ll love it, promise.  You can drink while we’re doing it.”

“Frankly, this sounds like you may have a head injury.  So these are the storage options?  Okay, how about that one?” Dave points to an oak colored chest of drawers.

“I’m thinking more of open shelves with bins.  Something short enough so Jack can put his own things away.  And then we can add things like a desk as he gets older.”  He wanders around the area looking at the choices and stops in front of a white and green unit that includes space for bins and has drawers.  “Like this, Dave.  Short enough, bins and shelves and a couple of drawers.  He’ll be able to put his own clothes away and there’s room for books and toys.”   Aaron pulls a notebook and pen out of his pocket and writes down information on the item.  “Okay, done here.  Bedding, bins and we’re done.”

“Will this hold together if he climbs on it?” Dave grabs the unit and gives it a shake.

Aaron grins and shakes his head.  “He shouldn’t jump up and down on it, but it’ll be fine for him to sit on.  Come on, Dave, when you were in college or first married, didn’t you have pressboard furniture that you had to put together?  It’s not meant to last forever.” 

Dave looks around and moves to a display of couches.  He sits and pulls Aaron down next to him, and rubs his hand over his goatee.  “When Carolyn and I were first married, all our furniture was from the thrift store.  Except for the dining room table, the one we have now, which was from my maternal grandmother.  So yeah, I know about cheap furniture.”  He looks around at all the people passing by, testing out sofas, chairs and wardrobes.  “We bought a color TV and stand from the Goodwill shop.  The TV was held together by duct tape and had a habit of losing the green, so the grass and sky were sometimes both shades of blue.  One day when we were both at work, the stand just crumbled and the TV fell and broke.  Carolyn was so upset…”

Aaron squeezes Dave’s leg and waits for him to continue.  He doesn’t talk a lot about any of his marriages, other than in general terms.  And the only one he regrets ending was marriage number one. 

“Aaron, I can give you two more now.  And I want to do more for you both.”  Dave picks up one of the pillows on the couch and straightens it up before he puts it back in the corner.  “If this is what you want and what Jack wants, terrific.  You know Jack more than I do.  But maybe you’ll let me throw in a few things?”

“Few things?  Of course, Dave, whatever you think.”  He stands and gives Dave a hand getting up from the too soft sofa.  “And you know that you do know what Jack likes and needs.  You’re Babbo.”

“Yeah.  Jack picked that out himself, you know.  He asked my sister what Dad is in Italian.”

Aaron knows this, and that it’s one of Dave’s favorite stories.  “Yup.  We got us a good kid.  Who needs a place for a million pairs of socks.  What else?”

By the time they leave, they have the large storage shelf with eight covered cloth baskets, the matching computer desk (and chair), a new comforter, with coordinating drapes and a rug.  And two bags of frozen meatballs. 


End file.
